How to Play The Center of a Snare Head

Getting the proper sound and tone out of a snare drum involves a combination of many factors. One of the most important is where the stick strikes the drum head. To get the most consistent sound, the sticks should strike the center of the head with little variation in distance.Here are some tips and methods for practicing this important skill.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Drum sticks
• Snare drum or practice pad
• Small sticker or piece of tape

How to Play The Center of a Snare Head

1. Using your preferred grip, position your drumsticks so that the tip of each stick is about 1/4" apart, with both sticks positioned above the center of the drum head. Mark this spot with a small sticker or piece of tape.

2. Now practice basic alternating stick strokes, at a steady slow tempo and concentrating on striking the exact center of the drum each time.

3. After practicing this, practice single strokes with each stick. Do eight with the right stick, then eight with the left stick. Keep the non-playing stick in position while striking with the other stick. Slowly increase the speed of this drill and the exercise from Step 2.

4. When you have begun to consistently strike the center of the drum head, practice basic drum rudiments slowly, concentrating on the position of the sticks and where you are striking the head.

5. For an extra check on your progress, videotape your practice session and review how well you are doing.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have carbon paper, tape a piece of it to the drum head before practicing -- it will record each stroke and show you the results.